Stazione di Santa Maria Novella
The Central Station of Santa Maria Novella, located in the heart of Florence, is one of the masterpieces of Italian Rationalism. The first station in the city, Leopolda, was built in 1844 by the son of the inventor of the railroad, Robert Stephenson, who decided to place it outside the city walls, to serve the line to Livorno. Subsequently, it was made a second station, Maria Antonia, in honor of the Grand Duke's wife, within the city walls, than demolished to make way, in the thirties, the current station, which overlooks the homonymous Church. In 1931, the Minister of Railways, Ciano, commissioned to the architect Mazzoni upgrading of the Station in Florence, but the project was criticized, and the City Council announced a competition then won by "Gruppo Toscano", a project that was the first instance in Italy's modern station. In 1935 it was inaugurated the building next door, the so-called Real Palace, to house the King and his family during a short break in Florence: works traditionally attributed to Giovanni Michelucci, consisting of a cubic building with a central part occupied by a large hall that develops for the whole height of the building. Among the architectural features of Central Station: the choice of Pietra Forte, to "mix" the building to the rest of the city architecture, including the rear facade of the Santa Maria Novella's Church. Inside the Station are the ticket office, a large room divided into three naves by yellow Siena marble, with huge pillars covered with green Alps marble and paved by pearly serpentine; and some works of great value, as the sculptures by Italo Griselli and paintings by Ottone Rosai and Mario Romoli.
